No One

Petraeus, who is preparing to testify to Congress next month on the Iraq war, said in an interview that “no one” in the U.S. and Iraqi governments “feels that there has been sufficient progress by any means in the area of national reconciliation,” or in the provision of basic public services.

I dunno about that, certainly it seems to me that a lot of the current U.S. government’s allies have been arguing, falsely, that there has been adequate progress toward reconciliation. Either way, I think the point is clear enough — Petraeus is right that if you’re willing to expend an infinite quantity of American lives, American money, and American resources of diplomacy and attention on Iraq, things might kinda sorta turn out okay at some point depending on what happens. I would only caution that if we cut and run it’s also possible that some sunny scenario will emerge. But in terms of the goals actually set for the surge, i.e. reconciliation, it hasn’t happened.